Swiss say they have struggled with the heat

The scorching summer has taken quite a toll on the Swiss. A large majority of those surveyed found the high temperatures difficult to cope with, and many are concerned about the environment. In total, 74% of the population described the summer of 2026 as “very trying” or “somewhat trying”, according to a survey by 20 Minutes and Tamedia published on Friday. Only a quarter of those surveyed found it very or somewhat pleasant. Women suffered significantly more from the heat than men: 46% of them said they found it trying, compared with 31% of men. Political affiliations also played a role in how people felt. Half of the left-wing Green Party’s electorate found the heat very difficult to cope with. At the other end of the spectrum, supporters of the right-wing Swiss People's Party coped with it best: 36% of them found the summer pleasant. More than a third of those surveyed (37%) said they suffered from significant or very significant physical problems, particularly sleep problems. + ...